USFL/XFL MERGER

REFERENCE: PRO FOOTBALL NEWSROOM

In September 2023, according to the Axios website, sources close to the website have confirmed that both the USFL & XFL are now in advanced talks to merge both leagues.

Spring Football has experienced major difficulties in past including the following to name just a few:

1. United States Football League (1983-1985)
2. NFL Europe (1991-1992 / 1995-2007)
3. XFL (2001)
4. United Football League (2009-2011)
5. Alliance of American Football (2019)

However, spring football is important for the development of players that go undrafted from the CFL & NFL each season and is a great way to promote other ways to play football outside of the major leagues and ultimately become just as important for the survival of the game.

Despite my appreciation of both leagues and enjoying having football all year round, NFL (September-February), XFL (February-July), USFL (April-July) and CFL (June-November), merging both leagues might actually be the best way forward due to the history of failure of spring football leagues.

SUCCESS OF THE LEAGUES

Fox Sports reported that the USFL was deemed to be profitable and planned to further invest more money into the game, whereas Forbes reported that the XFL had lost $60 million for its first season under Johnson, Forbes reported. Furthermore, the viewership for both leagues was averaging a minimum of 600,000 viewers per game. The USFL's championship game drew 1.2 million viewers and rivaled with the XFL Championship at 1.4 million.

XFL's St.Louis Battlehawks were recognised as the most successful when it came to game attendance as 175,521 across their 10-game season. USFL reported television viewership and never published attendance at their games played in hub cities rather than host cities like the XFL.

XFL AND USFL ANNOUNCE INTENT TO MERGE

On 28 September 2023, it was officially confirmed that both leagues filed papers to merge. No further information was released except the intention to host season due to the fact that there is no guarantee that the merger would necessarily go ahead.

REFERENCES: USFL MERGER STATEMENT | XFL MERGER STATEMENT

Merger approved by regulators

On November 30 2023, the USFL-XFL merger was approved by the regulators.

First, via Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, federal regulators approved the merger of the two spring football leagues.

Second, the combined league would kickoff on March 30 2024.

XFL CEO Russ Brandon will serve as the top executive of the new venture.

"We are pleased to have completed the antitrust review process in connection with the proposed merger of the XFL and USFL and intend to play a combined season this spring kicking off on Saturday, March 30" the two leagues said in a statement. "We are now finalizing terms of the definitive agreement and will share more about this new League in the coming weeks."

TEAMS

It has been reported that the following teams, 4 from each league and only 1 team from Houston, will form the new league which is still undertermined but United Football League ('UFL') is one name that has been mentioned.

REFERENCE: PRO FOOTBALL TALK C/O NBC SPORTS